Beach Day: A DJ & Steve One Shot
by merlucadevotion
Summary: A one shot in which DJ, Steve, and the boys take a trip to the beach and come to realize what forever as a family truly means to them.


DJ spent the better half of that Saturday spring morning meticulously putting together a healthy lunch for her and her boys for their day at the beach that she had been planning for practically the entire week before that.

That's simply the kind of woman DJ was. A planner. However, over the years she began to discover that many of the best things in life happen unplanned.

One thing was certain, she hadn't planned on bodily confessing her love for Steve at their high school reunion a year ago, she didn't plan on him swooping in so suddenly and for that love she felt to resurface as intensely as it had.

Now, here she was a year later. Steve was hers forever, as evident by the engagement ring shining proudly on her finger.

Her thoughts were interrupted by those familiar arms wrapping warmly around her waist.

"Hey sweetheart" said Steve as DJ turned slightly to peck his lips.

DJ let him hold her for a while. "Hey. Ready for the beach?"

"Beyond ready. I was up all night just deciding what type of sandwich to make" replied Steve as he then walked to the fridge and pulled his giant sub out of the fridge.

"Honey, I already packed lunch for the boys, you didn't have to get something this huge" replied DJ incredulously.

"Oh, this is just for me" said Steve.

"Of course it is. I should've known" said DJ, shaking her head in amusement before calling out to her boys. "Boys! Get down here, it's time for the beach!"

Within seconds they were down the stairs. First Max, followed by Jackson holding baby Tommy.

Max was sporting a full scuba diving suit along with a mask. "I'm ready, mom. How do I look?" He smiled as spun around as if he were modeling the suit.

"You look great, honey. But we're just going to the beach to maybe splash around in the waves..not deep sea diving." explained DJ.

"You can never be too prepared" Max pointed out.

Jackson rolled his eyes. "What a nerd"

Max shot him an annoyed glance and stuck his tongue out.

"Okay, boys, enough. Help me with these bags, please" said DJ, gesturing towards the beach bags and chairs lined up neatly near the door in the kitchen.

DJ took Tommy from Jackson when Steve came up next to her. "I'll hold Tommy and put him in his car seat"

DJ smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Steve."

Her heart fluttered at the sight of Steve placing Tommy in his carseat and buckling him in. "There you go, little man" said Steve as baby Tommy grinned brightly at him.

Once everyone was settled into the car, they were finally off to the beach. With the windows rolled down, the warm breeze and sunshine surrounded them.

DJ giggled lightly as Steve sung along to every song that came on the radio, eventually joining

him in the impromptu carpool karaoke. When DJ glanced towards the backseat, she saw her boys shaking their heads at the silliness that ensued, while the baby simply clapped his slobbery animal cracker crumb-filled hands to the music.

Steve felt DJ take his freehand into hers, intertwining their fingers. Smiling contently, he kissed the top of her hand as they continued down the coast towards the beach.

After arriving at the beach, Jackson and Max wasted no time exiting the car excitedly and running straight towards the ocean.

"Slow down, guys! Let's all walk down together" DJ called out to them as she got out the car. The boys sighed disappointedly but obeyed their mother and waited near the entrance.

DJ retrieved Tommy from his carseat while Steve grabbed their beach gear from the trunk. The boys walked ahead while DJ scanned the area for a good spot to setup. Once she found a spot, Steve began to set up their chairs and huge umbrella.

"Can we go out to the water now?" begged Jackson.

"Now, you know the rules, Jackson. Sunscreen first" replied DJ. She placed Tommy on his towel and pulled the sunscreen out her bag. She applied sunscreen on Tommy first, then Max, and finally Jackson.

"Oh come on, Mom! I'm not a baby, I'm 14. Pretty sure I could do this myself" complained Jackson.

"I'm sure you could, sweetheart, but it's faster if I do it and I wanna make sure it's applied properly" explained DJ.

Steve chuckled lightly as he watched DJ and her boys. Even back when they were in high school, Steve always knew in his heart that DJ would be an amazing mother someday and now to witness how fiercely she loved and cared for those boys, it made him fall even deeper in love with her.

While Jackson and Max raced each other to the water, DJ turned her attention back to Steve and baby Tommy who contently played with his pail and shovel in the sand.

"I think you're forgetting something, miss supermom" Steve teased lovingly as he held up the bottle of sunscreen and gestured for DJ to lay down.

"Oh right, forgot sunscreen for myself" DJ shook her head with a laugh as she stretched out on the beach chair.

Steve began to apply the coconut scented sunscreen slowly up and down DJ's back, sending chills down her spine, and it wasn't because the lotion was cold. His firm yet gentle hands maneuvered over every inch of exposed skin on DJ's perfectly tanned body.

"Oh, that feels so nice" said DJ, feeling relaxed as the ocean breeze calmed her.

"Well, if you think this feels nice, just wait until ya see what I have planned for us tonight" Steve responded in a low, slightly seductive tone.

DJ started blushing red. "Steve! Please, there are children around" Though, it didn't take long until they both erupted into a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny, guys? I wanna laugh too!" said Max as he walked up to their spot, soaking wet from head to toe with Jackson following behind him.

"Nothing" both DJ and Steve replied in unison.

Max raised an eyebrow in suspicion but quickly brushed it off. "Hey Steve, we were wondering if you'd come out to the water with us. We wanna go a little further out but we need an adult."

"Sure, I'd love to. Let's go!" said Steve as he sprung up from his chair enthusiastically.

DJ stayed behind with Tommy and fed him a sandwich and fruit that she had packed. She watched as Steve and the boys went out to the ocean. Max was now on Steve's back while Jackson laughed as he splashed the both of them. Although he was hesitant at first, Jackson was beginning to warm up to Steve and it warmed DJ's heart to witness.

Eventually, DJ decided to take Tommy to the water to splash around a bit. "I play in water!" exclaimed the young boy.

"That's right, Tommy. You love the water, don't you?" DJ held Tommy's hand as he jumped over the tiny waves, shrieking with pure joy.

Steve spotted DJ and made his way over to them as Jackson and Max headed towards their spot to eat lunch.

DJ and Steve sat down in the inch of water near the shore while Tommy stood near them digging his hands through the wet sand.

After a few minutes of exploring, Tommy ran towards them holding something in his hand. "Look mommy! Look daddy! I find starfish!" said the toddler with the brightest smile on his face.

DJ didn't say anything at first, as she was slightly taken aback by her youngest son referring to Steve as "daddy". He had never said this before until now.

"Yeah, we see that. That's so cool, little man!" DJ finally spoke. She then glanced at Steve who looked surprised as well.

"He goes to daycare a few times a week now, and he sees the other little kids with their dads and I guess he-" DJ began to explain until Steve stopped her.

Steve placed a loving hand on DJ's leg and rubbed it soothingly. "Hey. It's fine, sweetheart. I don't mind it. Uh-unless of course you do then I completely understand I mean-" This time, DJ cut him off with a soft kiss to his lips.

The fact of the matter was, Tommy sadly never knew his real dad, the late Tommy Fuller Sr., the way the older boys did but DJ knew deep in her heart that he was going to need a Dad and she couldn't think of a better man than Steve to fill this role in her son's life.

"You are an excellent father figure to my boys, Steve. I don't mind if he calls you daddy." DJ glanced down at her engagement ring before intertwining her fingers into Steve, kissing him once more as the sun began to set.

Another hour had passed and the family was now ready to head home. As they packed up their belongings and took a vote on what they would eat for dinner that night, DJ's heart filled with pure joy and contentment knowing that her life could not get any better than this moment, than with the absolute loves of her life.

This is what forever looked like.


End file.
